A surge in mainland hospital “consultation centres” in Andaman is raising concerns over weak checks on visiting doctors, unregistered clinics, and costly referrals. Experts call for strict credential verification and Clinical Establishments Act enforcement.
The healthcare landscape of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands is quietly shifting. Branded “consultation centres” run by mainland hospital chains, often from Chennai, are multiplying, offering visiting-doctor OPDs for just a few days each month, quick diagnostic tie-ups, and an easy route to “definitive treatment” back on the mainland. But for many island patients, these pop-up facilities stop short of delivering treatment locally. Instead, they often funnel patients to their parent hospitals, sometimes with cost estimates so steep that even those covered under Ayushman Bharat or other government schemes feel priced out. “You think you’re getting a specialist on the spot, but often you’re just getting a ticket to Chennai,” said one patient, summing up a pattern The Wave Andaman found repeated in multiple accounts.
Under the National Medical Commission (NMC) framework, every doctor practising modern medicine must be registered, either with a State Medical Council (SMC) or the national register. And under the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, any centre offering diagnosis, treatment, or patient care must be registered. Both laws apply in the Islands. But there’s no standalone medical council in the territory. Many visiting doctors hold Tamil Nadu registrations, which do legally extend here. While government hospitals routinely check credentials when hiring, private consultation camps face far lighter scrutiny. Centres that bill themselves as “advisory only” sometimes avoid registering as clinical establishments altogether, even when collecting fees and ordering tests. The result: patients often have no clear route to verify a doctor’s standing or hold a centre accountable.
Interviews revealed a familiar pattern: short OPD slots with little or no treatment delivered locally; a firm push to travel to a mainland hospital within days; and high package costs despite insurance coverage. In an island system where second opinions are scarce, such gaps can leave patients with few choices. Experts say solutions need not block mainland specialists from serving the Islands. They recommend credential checks for every visiting doctor, SMC number, ID, specialty, and “good standing” status cross-verified online before seeing patients; mandatory registration under the Clinical Establishments Act for all fee-based consultation centres; and transparent referral notes that list alternative facilities, cost ranges, and insurance coverage.
Health experts suggest piloting a three-month “consultation camp registry” in South Andaman, an online pre-declaration of dates, doctor names, and council numbers, followed by random spot checks and penalties for unregistered operations. “The laws already exist. The Islands just need to use them,” said one policy analyst. For patients, quick verification is possible: ask for the State Medical Council registration number, check it on the NMC public portal or the SMC search tool, confirm the specialty and “valid” status, and for visiting doctors, ensure their name appears in the Indian Medical Register.
Where concerns arise, complaints about unregistered practice can be made to the Directorate of Health Services, A&N Administration or the district health authority; misconduct by a registered doctor can be taken to the State Medical Council or NMC Ethics Board; and unregistered clinics can be reported under the Clinical Establishments Act via the district administration portal. This is not about shutting the door on mainland expertise, it’s about ensuring every patient, from Little Andaman to Diglipur, can trust that the advice they’re paying for comes from a qualified doctor, working in a lawful, accountable clinic.
How to verify your doctor in 60 seconds
- Ask for their State Medical Council registration number – every qualified doctor must have one.
- Check it on the NMC’s public portal (https://www.nmc.org.in/information-desk/indian-medical-register) or the relevant SMC’s search tool.
- Look for their specialty and “valid” status – if it’s expired, suspended, or missing, ask why.
- If it’s a visiting doctor, confirm the same name appears in the Indian Medical Register.
How to file a complaint in the Islands
- For unregistered or suspicious practice: contact the Directorate of Health Services, A&N Administration, or the district health authority.
- For malpractice or misconduct by a registered doctor: complaints can be filed with the doctor’s home State Medical Council or the NMC Ethics Board.
- For unregistered clinics or consultation centres: file under the Clinical Establishments Act via the district administration portal.
